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to all those who helped make my stay in UK a good one. I was welcomed everywhere, and helped and accommodated. Just a shame that in reality time was short and I could not spend more time or see people more often.

See you next year anyway.

Back now at the southern ranch. Finally over the lag, and back to the same time and energy as everyone else.
So what is different? Hmm. Some things are just the same-it’s windy…too windy for this time of year. Summer is apparently just around the corner.
Some things are the same-I’m a locum looking for work, but some on the horizon and no CRB to go through in order to be eligible.
Another thing about Wellington, it still has a planetarium, which Joe and Isaac recently visited and loved, and told me I must go and visit it also. So much for the place being “backward”. Not turning your planetarium into a celebrity projection centre appears forward thinking to me.
On the right day, not too many so far, the view from the deck is still great.

A big high pressure system sits over the UK currently and is giving fine crisp weather.
This morning I was up and out early to catch the Tube, and the air was crisp and the skies clear. The cars in the street were all frosted. An old experience returns. Yesterday evening walking back through Walpole Park, it was another classic autumnal experience. The skies clear with a lower orange tinge as the sun was going down, with vapour trails across the western skies, with alternating colours. The moon had risen and was low in sky, just above the tree line, looking clear with the craters visible. The trees are varied in colour now, with leaves collecting on the floor;beautiful.
Last night was reminder of NZ. Clear skies means cold nights. I slept in two t-shirts and had my pyjamas tucked inside my socks!

In my time back here some things have not been so good. Some things though should be admired. Radio for one. The quality and diversity of radio is fantastic and only seems to be so obvious when you have been somewhere else. The BBC comes in for regular criticism but the variety of music and other tastes catered for is great.
Pete Tong for the “official start to the weekend”, Terry in the mornings, The Archers, wall to wall sport and discussion on Five Live; so much and good stuff.
Commercial radio has something to offer also, with niche stations found by accident when travelling to Classic FM with its efforts.
This in contrast to back down very south, where commercial radio is amazingly bland and one dimensional with the very limited play list, save for Radioactive, in our local experience.

After catching Front Row on Radio 4 the other evening I just had to follow their advice and see the Twilight exhibition at the V&A, a collection of images from international photographers http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/photography/twilight/index.html. So I visited yesterday. The theme of twilight, was a reference to the special properties of the light, and the special feeling it invokes. Some of the photographers did their work using the natural surroundings, others staged and manipulated to produce the twilight feel artificially. I obviously liked some more than others, check out the link for yourself.
After that, I walked through Hyde Park on my way to see Big Al, and the sky was perfect, twilight, clear skies, with planes landing in the west a Heathrow, vapour trails set off in the setting sunlight, and calm walking through the park in a tree tunnel, but with the noise of the traffic not far away, and the bright lights of the road and buildings just visible. Beautiful man!(do you think I might get a slot on Front Row?)

For all the unseasonal weather, overly warm and all that, today as I wandered in Battersea park to see the leaves falling. Change is a coming. It looked a significant sight I guess because it is the first time I have seen it in four years. Autumn and leaves falling off trees does not happen in the same way in NZ.

A while since last put cyber pen to paper, must be working too hard.
Working in Moseley on Friday and today, so in Alcester for the weekend. How better to start than with a trip to the “Holly”, with real ale choice and a musical duo with much talent. A fine guitarist and another who played bass, clarinet and flute-though not all at the same time. Out ’til late watching KC experiment with his alcoholic taste, including putting ice in that famous Irish cider!
Up late next day but afternoon golf-only 9 holes as we are not good enough to play more. Had killer form on the range before hand-going for miles and perfectly straight. However, when it came to palying on the course I could not connect with the ball until the 6th, then fine. However, it meant KC beat me!
Fine home cooked curry in the evening and just managed to stay up to watch MOTD, thought the quality of games did not warrant the effort.
After chat with man upstairs on Sunday and witnessing the draw for the 200 club it was off down the pub for that traditional sitting in front of the telly afternoon with pints of lager to watch wall to wall football on Sky.
Then not unexpectedly…..early to bed.

I know it is not news to many, but this week I found out that the Planetarium has closed. I wondered why I could not find the entrance when I was up there a few weeks ago!
Further investigation shows that it has been closed so that Tussauds can put on a show about celebrities instead.
Says alot about current priorities. Hmmmm.

So 
 today was a slightly different experience at one of the venues of the club.
Today I went to mass at `Westminister Cathedral. It was only the second time I have been there, the first being two weeks ago when I happened to be walking in the area.
Today I went to Vespars first. I have never done this before. It a a short service with prays sung in Latin and with a reading.Certainly different.
Then mass, which was attended by about 300 people. Not bad for 5-30 on a Wednesday, though admittedly it is a prime venue. The style was quite different from what I have been used to, especially of late. Lots of incense, Latin components, choristers involved and altar helpers.
A candle also lit for Patrick.

Working in out of hours at weekend was a returning eye opener.
I was working on telephone triage, phoning back people who had called the service, to ascertain their needs. Certainly busy on Saturday, especially in the morning with a backlog of punters. It was interesting though the number who were after prescriptions, either had forgotten to order their regular medication or ran out of painkillers sie recent operation, or on hoiliday and left their meds at home.. Unbelievable that they could not sort themselves out, but end up using the convenient urgent service at no cost to themselves. Then their was the parent who did not attend an appointment made for their child and hour before!
The system is complex to organise and expensive I am sure. However, it seems wasted on some people. Some do not appeciate the value. Maybe they need something to focus the mind.

Hmmmm and humphhhh.